Nobody 2

Directed by Timo Tjahjanto, Nobody 2 follows Bob Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell as he’s forced to once again spring into action after raising the ire of a feared gangster (Sharon Stone’s Lendina) while on a family vacation. It’s a seemingly foolproof scenario that’s employed to basically watchable yet less-than-stellar effect by Tjahjanto, as the filmmaker, armed with a script by Derek Kolstad and Aaron Rabin, delivers a briskly-paced actioner that is, by and large, far too slick to pack a palpably visceral punch – with the picture’s many violent sequences infused with a lighthearted and overly comedic sensibility that grows more and more tiresome (ie how about a single fight with actual, real-life stakes?) There’s little doubt, then, that Nobody 2‘s mild success is due largely to the efforts of its extremely capable cast, as Odenkirk’s affable, charismatic turn is matched by eclectic periphery players like Colin Hanks, Christopher Lloyd, and the RZA – with, in particular, Stone’s unapologetically broad efforts generally standing as a periodic highlight within the proceedings. The end result is a decent-enough sequel that admittedly does feel like something of a letdown, particularly given the above-average bent of Nobody 2‘s superior 2021 predecessor.

**1/2 out of ****